Dhaka to propose 2006-2015 as SAARC Decade of Poverty Alleviation

DHAKA, Monday (Daily Star) In the run up to the 13th SAARC Summit set for November 12-13, senior officials from the member states start arriving at Dhaka for the pre-summit meeting of the programming committee that will prepare the agenda of the regional forum's meet.

Dhaka will propose declaring the third decade of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) from 2006-2015 as the "Saarc Decade of Poverty Alleviation."

Poverty alleviation, economic integration of the region, elimination of terrorism and disaster management preparedness with early warning system will come up as the summit's prime agenda.

Besides, the summit will also focus on implementation of the Social Charter, empowering Saarc secretariat and simplification of visa regime in the region.

South Asia is the home to maximum number of poor as well as middle class people that underlines the importance of emphasising both poverty alleviation and enhanced intra-regional trade, which is less than 4 percent at present. Officials said Dhaka would propose substantial fundraising for implementation of SAARC projects, mainly to take measures for poverty alleviation.

Initiatives will be taken to streamline various proposed funds into a single fund with an initial capital of $300 million.

The proposed "South Asian Poverty Alleviation Fund" will have several, economic and other wings. Already existing South Asian Development Fund has $6 million in its coffers with the fund still unutilised.

The directors general and joint secretaries of SAARC begin a one-and-a-half-day formal meeting at Hotel Sheraton tomorrow. Official sources said the SAARC senior officials will begin an informal meeting upon arrival to avoid killing of time during the formal meet.

Director General (SAARC, Bimstec and ACD) of Bangladesh Foreign Ministry M Ruhul Amin will chair the 26th Session of the Programming Committee to be held till November 9.

At the Programming Committee meet, M Fazlul Karim, director general (UN, Nam, Counter-Terrorism & ARF) will lead the Bangladesh delegation, Kesang Wangdi, head of SAARC and Bimstec Division, the Bhutanese, PK Kapur, joint secretary (SAARC) the Indian, Hussain Thoufeeq Ali, assistant director of the foreign ministry, the Maldives, Hira Bahadur Thapa, joint secretary of the foreign ministry, the Nepalese, Syed Ibne Abbas, director general (SA), the Pakistani, and Geetha De Silva, additional secretary (Political Affairs) will lead the Sri Lankan side.

The Programming Committee meeting will be followed by the meetings of the Standing Committee comprising the foreign secretaries of the SAARC nations on November 9-10 and of the Council of Ministers comprising the foreign ministers of the Saarc countries on November 10-11.

Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Hemayetuddin will chair the 31st Session of the Standing Committee of Saarc beginning on November 9.

Foreign Secretary of Bhutan Ms Neten Zagmo, Foreign Secretary of India Shyam Saran, Deputy Minister for Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives Ms Aminath Mohamed Didi, Acting Foreign Secretary of Nepal Nabin Bahadur Shrestha, Foreign Secretary of Pakistan Riaz Mohammed Khan and Foreign Secretary of Sri Lanka HMGS Palihakkara will attend the standing committee meet. They will finalise the four agreements to be signed at the summit and the draft of the Dhaka Declaration.

The Council of Ministers will approve the agreements and declaration as well as venue of the next summit and place those to summit leaders for final approval.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan will chair the meeting of the Council of Ministers. Foreign Minister of Bhutan Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk, Indian External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh, Foreign Minister of the Maldives Dr Ahmed Shaheed, Foreign Minister of Nepal Ramesh Nath Pandey, Foreign Minister of Pakistan Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri and Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka Anura Bandaranaike will attend the meet.

Most of the SAARC leaders will arrive on November 11. Some may arrive after midnight of November 11 because of flight schedule, but all of them would depart on November 13. Talking to diplomatic correspondents at his office, Foreign Affairs Adviser Reaz Rahman said the 13th summit would concentrate on economic and social issues including trade, investment and poverty alleviation. Besides, management of natural disaster and dealing with terrorism will figure prominently.

Four agreements concerning avoidance of double taxation, promotion of investment, simplification of customs procedure and establishment of Saarc Arbitration Centre would be signed during the summit.

Replying to a question, Reaz Rahman said new SAARC Chairperson Prime Minister Khaleda Zia will focus on how to project the regional orientation and implement decisions of Saarc for real benefit of the South Asian people.